Zimbabwe Domestic Cricket: National Premier League 2023/24 Tournament Preview

ASHLEY DUBE

The third edition of Zimbabwe Cricket’s National Premier League (NPL) 2023 commences this upcoming weekend.

The 45-over tournament domestic cricket competition in Zimbabwe is set to run for two months. 14 teams have been drawn from throughout the country, and will be battling in the NPL club competition for the top prize.

There are 13 rounds of games with the top two teams meeting in the finals on September 27 at Harare Sports Club.

Defending NPL champions Gladiators will begin their defense of the title on Saturday 5 August, 2023, when they take on Rainbow at Old Hararians Sports Club, while last season’s runners-up Westside will face Amakhosi at Masvingo Sports Club.

Five matches are scheduled for Sunday (6 August), with Queens Sports Club at home to Mbizo Cricket Club; Uprising take on Bulawayo Athletic Club at Kwekwe Sports Club; Mutare Sports Club entertain Kadoma Cricket Club at Old Hararians; and Scorpions host Golden Bulls at Masvingo Sports Club.

The Takashinga derby between Patriots 1 and Patriots 2 at their home ground in Highfield will complete match day-one action.

The next round of matches is scheduled for 9 and 10 August 2023 at venues across the country.

This time around, the NPL is a grand affair featuring 14 teams following a decision by Zimbabwe Cricket to add four more sides in order to open up the top-flight club cricket competition to men’s teams from all the 10 provinces in Zimbabwe.

The expansion saw nine teams qualify directly on sporting merit through their top provincial club championships, while the other five spots were filled up via playoffs.

Harare Metropolitan had Gladiators, Uprising, Takashinga Patriots 1 and Rainbow securing their places in the NPL directly; while Bulawayo Metropolitan’s guaranteed berths were taken up by Amakhosi and Queens Sports Club.

Manicaland, Masvingo and Midlands each had one spot, with Westside, Scorpions and Mbizo earning direct qualification from those provinces respectively.

Takashinga Patriots 2 (Harare Metropolitan), Mutare Sports Club (Manicaland), Bulawayo Athletic Club (Bulawayo Metropolitan), Golden Bulls (Matabeleland South) and Kadoma Cricket Club (Mashonaland West) made it via the playoffs.